‘Scrub that now’ – Spurs had been eyeing surprise swoop for Liverpool ace before transfer hijack

Tottenham Hotspur had reportedly been eyeing a move for a Liverpool first-team regular before pivoting to an alternative target.

While the Reds have yet to enter the January transfer market, Spurs seem poised to complete their first signing of 2026 after agreeing a £34m deal for Atletico Madrid’s Conor Gallagher (Sky Sports).

Aston Villa had reportedly been in formal talks to sign the England international in recent days, but the ex-Chelsea and Crystal Palace midfielder now appears set for a return to London after Thomas Frank’s side hijacked the deal (Ben Jacobs).

Spurs had been eyeing a move for Curtis Jones

Renowned Spurs insider Paul O’Keefe was asked by one of the club’s supporters on X if the Europa League holders are ‘looking to add a progressive midfielder’ in January, in addition to Gallagher.

The reply was: ‘Not really progressive but they had Curtis Jones on their list. Presumably they scrub that now – 1 year left on his deal.’

Understandable that Spurs would’ve wanted Jones

We can see why Spurs would’ve been seeking to bring in the Liverpool midfielder, but even had they opted to pursue him instead of Gallagher, the likelihood of the transfer happening would’ve been remote.

Hailed as ‘fantastic‘ by Phil Thompson, Jones has grown into a regular starter under Arne Slot, having been in the line-up for six Premier League games in a row prior to last week’s draw at Arsenal, along with starting four of our six Champions League fixtures so far this season (Transfermarkt).

His versatility makes him a vital asset for the Reds – he can play in any midfield role and has even been deployed at right-back on occasion – and O’Keefe was mistaken in suggesting that the 24-year-old isn’t a ‘progressive’ player (something he subsequently acknowledged).

As per FBref, the Liverpool man ranks among the top 6% of midfielders in Europe over the past year for progressive passes per 90 minutes (8.27) and the top 11% for progressive carries per game (2.52), while he’s also in the top 18% for successful take-ons with 0.94 per match.

One pertinent point that the Spurs insider did raise, though, was Jones’ contract situation. With only 18 months remaining on his current deal and the Scouser coming into his prime footballing years, we expect Richard Hughes to commence negotiations over a renewal in the summer, if not sooner.

The Reds’ number 17 is a player who LFC need to keep hold of, and if any other prospective suitors were to go one step further than the north Londoners and make an approach for him, the Anfield hierarchy’s answer must be a firm no.

You can watch Slot’s full post-Barnsley press conference below, via Empire of the Kop on YouTube:

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